Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Terri DeSimone
Verger, Woman’s Ministry, Grace to Go Ministry Leader

Matthew 23: 1-12

3Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2‘The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; 3therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. 4They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear,* and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. 5They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. 6They love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, 7and to be greeted with respect in the market-places and to have people call them rabbi. 8But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students.* 9And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father—the one in heaven. 10Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah.* 11The greatest among you will be your servant. 12All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.

Devotional

I thought of Mother Teresa when I read this passage and we all know what a saint she was and her philosophy of living her life to the glory of God and for the better treatment of others. Do you ever wonder what age she committed herself to living God's word and what may have influenced her to pursue that direction? Or if she had made choices that led her in a different direction? Do you ever wonder what her parents were like and who in her life made a clear impact?

With all the burdens she witnessed day after day she worked tirelessly to lift and lighten the loads of others by trudging through the darkness and into the light. This little lady walked the walk.

We are all fortunate to be children of God, brothers and sisters to one another. We are all a product of our society and have had good and bad examples of how we should live our lives. Why it is so hard to have a relationship with our maker and why is it so hard to appreciate the opportunities He gives to us?

Mother Teresa rose above just thinking about herself, and she made a conscious decision to give back to humanity. She did not decide to help the poor so she could be exalted. She did not demand money for all the cleaning up and caring she did for others and she did not seek rewards from others for a job well done. She did not wear fancy clothes or live beyond her means to show the wealth of her many gifts.

She made time to know her Father and lived her life to please Him...without fanfare and without coveting recognition. She did not talk the walk, she walked the walk and it must have been beyond our imagination of the despair she saw in people's daily lives.

Yet she rose above that and became a beacon of light, hope and faith to all she consoled. She lived her life making decisions for herself based on who her true Father was, who her true teacher and instructor was to her.

Why not wake up and rejoice in your life and say "Thank God it's another day" or as Father Johnson says, "Thank God for life."

It's amazing how a simple smile or a listening ear can make a difference. What can you do to ease the burden of the lives of your brothers and sisters?

Additional Readings

Amos 8:1-14; Psalm 38; Rev. 1:17-2:7